Perfect engineering solutions

I have love for a certain kind of engineering solution which presents a kind of charmed confluence of design, materials, and technical capacity, such that even when technology improves they remain beautiful and relevant. (Vinay Gupta suggests calling these “terminal designs”;.)

The prime examples for me include

• The Douglas DC-3 airplane
• The AK-47 rifle
• The hexayurt
• The Honda Cub motorcycle
• The monobloc chair
• The swivel potato peeler
• Converse “Chuck Taylor” All-Star shoes
• Leica M series cameras

Talking about this on Facebook, friends had some other great suggestions.

• The Polaroid Land Camera
• The Emeco Navy chair
• The Fender Stratocaster guitar
• The series Land Rover car
• Jerrycans
• The Bic Cristal pen
• The Zippo lighter
• The Pentax K1000 camera
• The Piper Cub airplane
• The Volkswagen microbus
• The Browning M1911 pistol
• The Laser dinghy
• Lego bricks
• The safety pin
• The Cerviscope
• The Leatherman multi-tool
• The Lifesystems survival whistle
• The гранёный стакан faceted drinking glass
• The Maglite flashlight
• The Shure SM-58 microphone
• Dr Martens boots
• British electrical plugs
• Brown Betty teapots
• The Stanley unbreakable vacuum bottle
• The prism sharpener (for pencils)
• The kelly kettle
• The “woobie” poncho liner

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Wired has a nice little piece about a collector of perfect little designs.